Where Do I Begin Buying A Wig Online?
The most important start to any wig purchasing journey is to have an idea of how what your end result looks like. Have an idea of the style of the wig along with the length you’d prefer as you press start on buying your wig online. Best tips for buying wigs online are :
ONLINE CONSULTATIONS
All reputable suppliers will have a customer service team who can offer support and in a lot of cases online consultations with you. Definitely reach out and take advantage of online consultations with specialists. They will be able to show you examples of the wigs and explain which ones will be the front runners to fulfil the end result you’re wanting to achieve.
KNOWING WIG TERMS
It’s a whole new world to explore when you’re embarking on a wig purchasing journey for the first time with many new terms and names for things you may not have ever come in contact with before. We’ll go through some of the more important ones in a little more detail later 🙂
KNOW YOUR WIG SIZE
This is crucial for ensuring the wig that you purchase online will be the right fit for you. It is the most important part of your wig purchase – measuring your head and finding out the correct wig cap size to purchase. Here in Australia we find the most common size is the petite wig cap size. So you can see how it is easy to make a mistake and order an Average (most wigs come in average) – it’s very disappointing when the wig bags at the back and is just too big. Should you already have purchase a wig that is too big, tighten the back adjusting straps as tight as you can and invest in a wig gripper – this will help keep the wig on better.
Online Consultations / Knowing Your Desired End Result
The end result you’d like and the end result that’s going to work best for you may be quite different fromt each other or they can match perfectly. An online consult is an ideal way to get informed about the pros and cons for the style you’re working towards.
If you’re reconstructing how your hair used to look prior to hair loss, this can take a lot of the guess work out as you will have a style that you’re looking for already. As opposed to thinking about trying a new style and working through whether it’s going to suit you and your lifestyle. An Online Consultant can offer some of the best tips when buying a wig online, including information about….
Wig Fibres
Length of Wig
Wig Caps
There are two main fibres that are most talked about when it comes to wigs. Human Hair and Synthetic or man made fibres. It comes down to budget, lifestyle and styling as to which will be most suited to your individual requirements.
HUMAN HAIR
Always make sure it is 100% REMY human hair. To be REMY the hair cuticles are kept intact and facing the same direction, they are not stripped. The pro for Human Hair is most natural looking results and best longevity. Will require styling just the same as your own hair rather than retaining any styling after washing.
SYNTHETIC
These wig fibres are made in a factory and will vary widely in their quality. The pro for synthetics is that they do not require any styling as their style will dry the same even after you wash the wig. However the down side is that these wigs do not have the same longevity as Human Hair wigs
Although extremely tempting, going for really long wigs isn’t always a great idea.
A great tip for buying wigs online is to keep the wig a bit shorter if you’d prefer lower maintenance, especially when it comes to synthetic wigs. Heat from your body can cause tangles in synthetic wigs so it stands to reason that the longer the fibre, the more exposed the ends are to touching your body and becoming tangled.
A shorter wig will be easier to maintain and style ( in the case of human hair wigs too).
PRO TIP: Always gently comb after each wear with a synthetic wig and comb out any tangles prior to washing. This will prevent any knots from forming and keep the wig looking its best for as long as possible.
Wig caps will have a large bearing on how well the wig feels and fits on your head. They also have a large bearing on how cool a wig can be.
Open Wefted / Basic Cap is the most basic of all the wigs and offers a very cool solution as the wefts have breathability between them
Stretch Cap/ Hand Tied The other end of the scale is this combination where the hair is individually hand tied into a comfortable stretch cap. By far the most comfortable wig to wear.
There are many combinations in between which you can talk over with your online consultant.
Knowing Wig Terms
To become a little more informed into what means what when a wig is being described… let’s delve into the main terms you’ll hear most often. Here’s the top four elements of a wig cap explained below. Most wigs will have what is called ear tabs, these are there to ensure your wig is on straight and can be used as you put on your wig to adjust where it sits on your head. There will also be adjustable straps at the back, in either velcro or bra strap form. Take a look at your wig and if you feel it needs to be a bit more snug, adjust the straps at the back to fit.
Monofilament
Lace Front
Hair Density
Hand Tied
- There will be an area on the cap that a sheer mesh section is situated.
- Hairs are individually hand-tied into this section of material to mimic natural hair movement and enable multi-directional parting (just like natural hair does)
- The lightweight material used in monofilament wigs does have a softer feel and are ideal for sensitive scalps
- A lace front wig offers more versatility and a far more natural look.
- A fine mesh (lace) will be at the hair line area of the wig and hair will have been individually tied into this
- You can wear your hair off your face with a lace front wig
- Your wig may come without the lace trimmed (see pic below) If you need to trim in your lace, be very careful and we recommend trimming around 1 cm from hair line so the lace can sit flat
- PRO TIP -Put your wig on too low on your head and then gently pull it back into position, this helps the lace front to sit flat against your forehead & avoid irritation.
- Arguably one of the most important elements if having the most realistic looking wig is important to you.
- Hair density is the amount of hair that has been used to make the wig. Some wigs will have a very low density at the front to ensure the absolutely best results for a natural looking wig.
- The higher the hair density, the less natural your wig will look.
- There is also varying grades of Human Hair… the finer human hair choices include European Hair.
- A wig may have a part or all of the wig hand tied.
- Hand Tied literally means that each individual hair has been hand tied into the wig cap and for a full wig, this will usually mean a stretch cap.
- These are the most natural looking wigs as they can be styled in any direction and mimic how natural hair grows.
- They are more expensive, but worth the investment if most realistic is important to you.
Know Your Wig Size
Three main measurements are used to establish the right size cap for you. Once you have these measurements you can confidently order in the wigs that offer this sized cap. Generally speaking, Australians, New Zealanders, English heads are petite sized caps, whereas Americans, Africa, Canadians, have average or large sized wig cap sizes
Use the handy chart here to work out which size you are 🙂
